Sunday, January 23, 2011

"To those who knew him, he was the beacon of laughter and genuine thought; he was the measure of a man. Through videos and personal relationships, he illuminated the lives of many, at home and abroad, never failing to pass on his charisma and courage to anyone who crossed his path. It has now been nearly one year since the world has lost one of its most charming, inspirational, and brilliant people. A year that has had many of us longing and confused. But in his departure, we find new perspectives, new confidence, and new life. His name was Rodger Swan, and he was truly an idol.

As a tribute to Rodger and all of the happiness he brought to us, I have decided to release a few of the songs his fans may remember from the video series. The first and second are versions of the original Tokyo Swan and Iwate Swan themes, respectively, while the third is a track that had remained unfinished for a year, tentatively planned for what is now known as Iwate Swan 23, renamed "Eternal Swan." You may download the songs free of charge, either individually or as an album called "Eternal Swan," based on the new track. All that I ask is this: if Rodger has inspired you in any way, please consider donating to the Rodger Swan Memorial Fund for Japanese Studies. All of the money donated to this fund will go toward helping students study abroad in Japan, just as Rodger had. It is one way you can become an active part in securing his legacy as a teacher, a student, and an amazing friend.

Remember to cherish those you love, and never take a friendship for granted. Life can be stripped away as easily as it was given, so for those of us who have nothing left to fear, we must make them sure that it was worth it. Love to you all, and Rodger: we will meet again soon.

I'm blessed, I know / Heaven sent, and Heaven stole"

-K Eternal Swan Album Contents:

-Tokyo Swan (Remastered)-Iwate Swan-Eternal Swan

To download the Eternal Swan album, click here.To download the album artwork, click the picture above.

日本語の一言ガジェット

Iwate Swan:

College graduate in Japan to teach English over the course of 2009-2010. Rose to fame on youtube via reviews of Japanese horror films and a weekly series of daily life in Japan called Tokyo Swan. This time around, our hero is placed in iwate-ken and is once again documenting his experiences at:
www.youtube.com/rodgerswan